Sex, Lies, & Politics
IN the right corner , Republicans wanting conservative choices , smaller government , more protection for our liberties , balanced supreme court choices and decisions , nationally protectionist trade deals , controlling immigration through existing law protections and use , more American Jobs ,
all of it business as usual .
The left corner
You tell me !
The first sentence is about the big, bad Democrats mistreating Trump; and the second one is about how Trump's own party is mistreating him - when many Republicans weren't all that wild about him winning the ticket in the first place. Why the surprise there? Its a moral issue; and conservatives are notorious for abandoning causes over moral issues. It is why many of them didn't want The Donald on their ticket in the first place.
The way more women are coming out after the fact is NORMAL - how many times have we seen this happen? Look at how many women came out to accuse Bill Cosby afterwards, for example. NORMAL. That doesn't mean that he's guilty anymore than it means that he's NOT guilty. Frankly, Trump was asking for more when he pulled that 'press conference with Bill's accusers' stunt. That was the wrong way to respond.
If Bill had been the one running for office, maybe... But it was just incredibly bad taste (as so many of his responses suspiciously are - I mean, who the heck would have advised him to go through with such a thing? People who know EXACTLY how to stir up right-wing conservatives, that's who. The same people who keep advising him to ramp up this ridiculous 'rigged voting' issue).
FYI, as much as conservatives and the GOP would like to take credit for Trump being on the ticket; there are probably almost as many Independents and Liberals who support him. Democratic politicians of course CAN'T support Trump because he isn't in their party. But 'out here' in the country, SURPRISE - the right wing needs to stop taking all the credit, as much as they would like to.
This means that many of the same kind of people who voted Obama into office two terms in a row - are now voting for Trump. Of course if this is true, that would mean that conservatives for Trump would have to admit that Hillary and the Democrats are not demons... kind of hard, I know.
What so many people ARE doing, is completely ignoring what their OWN parties and media pundits are doing to keep Americans heavily divided - because that is how we are most profitable and controllable: when we're angry, afraid and suspicous of the opposing 'exteme'.
That sad truth has never been more obvious than this particular election. Its almost like Trump is TRYING to make sure Hillary wins; and at times, I have wondered if someone hasn't paid him in some way (from the beginning) to act the way he has. Maybe he doesn't need money, but maybe he's getting bored... Let's jump into the political arena. Sounds like fun!
It just feels like a lot of his most outrageous moments have been staged (suspiciously, as I said above); and they are easy to incorporate among all the chaos - and not just chaos, but OUTRAGEOUS chaos - he has caused. Perhaps he'd make a better political puppet than most of us think, ha!
In any case, even if he is 'real'... how long would he remain that way if he wins the Presidency? That is one of the main reasons why Obama supporters are voting for Trump. They're looking for a real revolutionary - it is the attitude that is important, not the platform on which they stand. Because as we know, no President or political party ever gets hardly anything they want because of all the opposing forces. I mean, its not like we stop arguing about things once the election is over, right?
The last President turned out to be 'progressive' but far more complacent than anticipated - so lets try someone even MORE outrageous than Obama... Btw, that is not an endorsement, just a bunch of observations. *I* am not voting for Trump. I am all for a good revolutionary, but I have my standards. And, Hillary is a perfectly acceptible revolutionary for me.
And the people are BUYING IT??? We are supposedly evolving. Doesn't seem like it. I think the opposite is occurring. Think about the nation's children witnessing all this. WHAT MUST THEY THINK?
Is it helping toward their development into adulthood?
Maybe they will learn how NOT TO BE!!!!
But usually, they become what they see.
No one thinks of the kids.
- ahorsebackposted 7 years ago
0 - Onusonusposted 7 years ago0
I think that would have been news worthy in 1997, if it was true. I can not find anything that would convince me that it isn't just another fabrication. It would have made the front cover of News Weeks, Time and People for sure...but I don't see it.
All of which were determined to be false. No jail time, no payout, nothing. Hillary on the other hand has a lengthy body count.
Yeah, turns out the sexual harrasment was a lie
http://gotnews.com/busted-nytimes-trump … ly-friend/
The rape was a publicity stunt concocted by an ex producer of the Seinfeld show.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 … other.html
Meanwhile in the real world...
- Onusonusposted 7 years ago0
- Onusonusposted 7 years ago0
- Onusonusposted 7 years ago0
- Onusonusposted 7 years ago0
Hoax
“I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize,” - Donald Trump
No clear Evidence?
Once again we find the delusional Hillary defense impedes rational conversation.
Enjoy the fantasy.
Okay, I've written, deleted, re-written, and deleted again a big long explanation of why I view this the way that I do. I'm posting a more vague description and hopefully my point still comes across without the nitty gritty details.
I grew up in a sports town. Our local pro-athletes were regarded as celebrities and they often paraded around the city eating up attention. By the time I was 18 and going out on a somewhat regular basis I had run into several of them. Without going into too much detail: not one, not two, but THREE of them had put me in uncomfortable positions that I now cringe thinking about. And I let them put me in awkward situations because they were 'famous' and they were valued and I thought it would be somehow rude or disrespectful to tell them they were being inappropriate. They were not situations that I actively sought out, though many girls did, so I thought to myself "even if I don't want this attention I should feel lucky that I'm getting it because he's important." It's a very strange thought process, being in a situation that you don't really want to be in but not wanting to protest because you're being shown affection from someone who is "special."
So yeah, I get it. I get that these men feel like they can make moves on women because they're used to being liked but the assumption that they can be aggressive because most women like them is dangerous. I'm thinking back on it now and perhaps being friendly was taken as an invitation to say/do things that I didn't really feel I was inviting them to do. Was it my fault? Are women supposed to be extra clear about NOT consenting to something when it comes to celebrities because they assume consent from most of them at the slightest hint of friendliness? Yes, it's easy to look back now and think about how simple it would have been to say "stop doing that" or "stop talking like that" but the entire time I kept trying to convince myself that it was fine and that I should be grateful for the attention from someone like that, and that's f***ed up. On another level I was also a little bit scared because when a man you don't really know (who is usually substantially bigger than you) comes on VERY strong it catches you off guard.
Funnily enough those are the only people who have ever come on that aggressively or made moves on me when I didn't want them to so I have to wonder if celebrities either a) are so used to women wanting their affection that they can no longer tell when one doesn't, or b) they know that most women are going to feel a bit 'star struck' in their presence and are less likely to object and they take advantage of it.
Again, without going into too much detail, I have never claimed to be sexually assaulted. However, if a tape was released where these guys said the things Trump said then I would probably feel violated because it sounds like he KNOWS that women tend to be less likely to shut it down when they're being approached/touched by someone who has a level of perceived power. That's what bugs me.
So, you know what, no I don't know exactly what every woman Donald Trump has kissed or touched was thinking but I'm inclined to believe the women who have come forward saying they've received unwanted and inappropriate attention from him because of the words he used and because I can so easily put myself in that spot. Maybe it clouds my ability to be super duper objective but maybe it also gives me some valuable insight into why those words seem so harmful to so many people.
Anyway, it gets emotionally exhausting listening to people write this all off as nothing when I can imagine what kind of pain and anger I'd be feeling if it was the guys who I've had experiences with who said that stuff.
So I guess as a weird mish-mash answer to some of your questions, whether it would be considered sexual assault or not might be entirely based on the intention. Was it an honest misread of cues? Then no. Was it a gamble that the woman would let it happen because it's easier to take advantage of her because of your status? Then I'm gonna say yes. Trump's words came off as bragging, as being proud of the fact that he could do whatever he wanted to because he had status.
PS. I'm obsessed with Friends and had to smile at it being brought up as a serious example in a serious discussion. It's nice to throw in some fluffy stuff every once in a while! I'm one of the very few people I know whose favourite character is Ross. People usually think I'm joking.And thank you for your thoughtful response as well.
I suppose I struggle a bit with needing to be super clear about non-consent because I'm someone who will engage in a conversation and be nice to people if they approach me. I don't feel that I should need to preface every conversation with the opposite sex with "I'm going to talk to you and I'll be friendly and welcoming and I'll probably smile and take interest in what you're saying but I do NOT want to sleep with you and please don't touch me." In my mind there should be a virtually unmistakable cue for consent in order to initiate any intimacy. Being friendly or kind does not equal consent and while I've had people call me flirty or say they thought I might be interested because I am friendly, every "normal" guy has either asked me if I'd be interested in doing something or showed a less intimate form of affection initially (like grabbing my hand) to feel it out. In Trump's case, kissing/grabbing someone's genitals is a VERY big leap to take and I'd hope he was 10000% sure there was consent before doing that instead of assuming based off presumably not a lot. (And I presume because he said "I don't even wait.")
I guess while you're saying "non-consent has to be crystal clear" I'm saying that consent should be crystal clear before you even get to that point.
I agree and understand that men are not mind-readers and with my experiences I have always given them the benefit of the doubt and not assumed that they were knowingly putting me in a weird position, but as I said, I'd change my tune if I heard them saying what Trump was saying. I know people are questioning the timing of the accusations but I do wonder if like me they had been shrugging it off as a misunderstanding until they heard him saying those things and took it, as I would, to mean that he understands he has power and can get away with being aggressive because women are aware of his power and more hesitant to push him away. That would make it hard for me to write it off as a misunderstanding and as I said before I'd probably feel like it was more of a violation than I had previously.
As for it not being the guys' fault in my situation, as I said I've given them the benefit of the doubt. One of the situations struck me as being a bit predatory and I actually thought they were joking, one had purposely put me in a position that physically limited me before proposing something, and I don't know what would have happened from there because thankfully someone interrupted us and noted that the guys had literally sandwiched me and told them to give me some room because I looked uncomfortable (and they quickly obliged and left it alone after that which is why I don't assume the worst). But I'll be honest and say that I have no idea if I would have been able to muster up the courage to say "you're making me uncomfortable" myself with two (much bigger) guys physically touching me on both sides. Is that my issue? Maybe. I just wish I wasn't put in a situation where I felt that way in the first place.
Anyway, I also tend to believe people are innocent until proven guilty in most situations but I also feel it's somewhat different when it comes to sexual assault accusations because if you readily assume the man is innocent then you're rejecting the woman's claims. It's already hard enough for women to speak out without people saying "where's your proof?" when often the proof is just their word. I'm more inclined to believe women in these cases as we all know that sexual assault and harassment run pretty rampant and false accusations are, in reality, pretty rare. I understand that the political implications make the accusations against Trump a bit unique and I understand that people are more skeptical of them for that reason but coupled with his questionable comments and the way that he treats women in general, the women get my initial sympathies.
I think gambling that someone will say yes as opposed to gambling that they'll say no is not all that different in actuality, because if the person does end up saying no then you've already initiated the unwelcome contact. Again, I don't really feel like there should be any gambling when it comes to initiating sexual contact. If you honestly believe that a woman has given you cues to invite sexual contact then that's one thing, but if you're there thinking "I don't really know...." then you should probably either ask or wait for some clearer indication. I've had guys ask if they could kiss me and I don't find that it kills the mood at all. And if ever I was the one making the first move I was pretty clear with my intentions because I expected the same in return.
PS. Only my two best friends like Ross (probably why they're my best friends) and most everyone else I've talked to thinks he's the worst character (which is ridiculous because obviously that's Phoebe).
PPS. I love Key & Peele also, maybe you and I would get along just fine despite our vastly different political views (oops, just saw you like Creed - friends off. Oh well, was fun while it lasted.
)
- Onusonusposted 7 years ago0
There are many circumstances where women wait a long time before they speak out. Bill Cosby's accusers, for example, waited a long time before making the accusations about what he did and there was a ton of evidence stacked against him.
The key word is EVIDENCE!
Then there's this...
As for your "rich white men" comment, you can peddle the white guilt propaganda to somebody else cause it's a bunch of BS.
- ahorsebackposted 7 years ago0
- Onusonusposted 7 years ago0
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